• Once you have connected you can open Internet Explorer (herein referred to as IE).
• There is an icon on the desktop of the computer for IE.
  
• Double-click on the icon to open IE.
• You will find a picture of a folder with the word Favorites under it.
• Click on this and you will see a list of links (a word or phrase that when you single click it will take you to another web site)
• There will be a link to " Hotmail - The World's FREE Web-Based Email"
  
• Clicking on this link will bring up a login page for HotMail.
• Type your User Name then you will come to another screen.
• Type your Password (you picked these when you first set up HotMail).
• You can now read your e-mail.
• To create a new message there is a Compose link on the left column.
• (For information on creating a new message go to Creating a New Message with HotMail)
• Also, there are options to manage your Addresses (a list of e-mail addresses you have created as you would a typical phone address book)
• To read a message just click on the link which is the name of the person that sent that message.
• If there is information in the message that you will need to respond to press the Reply button. (it is a good idea to reply to messages you receive as a form of acknowledgment. As far as knowing what messages to reply to just consider if you were the sender. Decide if you would want to know if the person received the message or if it is not necessary to be acknowledged.)
• When replying, you will notice that the original message is copied into your reply message and indented with this '>' symbol.
• Sometimes including the original message is helpful to the sender for remembering what they wrote and what you are responding to.
• Other times, the receiver may remember the original message by the subject alone. (the subject is copied to your reply message with RE: in front to indicate reply)
• If the later is the case, the original message text can be deleted or parts that are not needed can be deleted.
• When you are done with the message you can Delete the message if you don't need it any more.
• If you want to keep the message for future reference you can either leave it in the Inbox, where it is now, or Move it to a Folder that you have created. (it is better to save extra messages than to delete some that you may need to reference in the future)
• If you choose to put your message in a folder, select the correct destination and press Move.

(For information on creating folders go to Creating new Folders with HotMail)

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